One of the oldest colleges in Illinois, founded in 1837. Blackburn is also one of only seven colleges in the U.S. where students work in exchange for tuition credit, and the only one whose Work program is student-run. This keeps Blackburn's tuition among the lowest of all private colleges in the United States. Over the years, students have literally built Blackburn, brick by brick; the only college campus in the United States to be largely built by its students.